Sometimes you catch the surf, sometimes the surf catches you

Hello Everyone,

I'm like the Lance Armstrong of surfing, in that if Lance Armstrong tried surfing, all his genetic advantages would be poorly aligned with the needs of the new sport. Also, I would have no hesitation whatsoever to cheat if it made me a better surfer.

Yesterday, Tay and I loaded up the truck and camper with 5 surfboards, four wetsuits, bags and a cooler, two dogs, and two other people. We drove up to Sombrio Beach, on the Juan de Fuca trail, a very popular spot for surfing. It is especially popular when the swells are big and the sun is shining, as it was yesterday. We parked up the road from the parking lot, which was very full.

I like surfing, I just rarely get the chance to try it, being from Ottawa and all. Thus, whenever I get out, I have forgotten any of the skills I learned the last time, and struggle to paddle through the waves, time a good one, and then ride it back. But I managed to somewhat get up a couple of times. My biggest concern was not getting hit by someone surfing a wave as I was paddling back in.

Arthur and Kaqui had the run of the beach, along with a number of other dogs. Kaqui was used to this kind of thing, and wandered along the shore or stayed with our bags while Tay was out. Arthur is much less used to this kind of thing, and was very worried while I was out. At one point he ran into the water after me and tried to swim out. I didn't actually notice that, and one of our companions brought him back in. Like me, I'm pretty sure he prefers the delicious fresh water of a lake.

We walked along the beach to a spot with a cave and waterfall in the afternoon. It was glacier fed, but I couldn't resist the temptation to step in for a minute. Cold, but worth it.

It was a great day, and a long one. We started out at 10 in the morning, and didn't get back until 11:30 at night. We would have got back sooner, but the surf was great later in the evening, so Tay and I went back out. I won't get the chance to get back for awhile, so I wanted to take advantage. A good theme for this trip in general.

wes